Ornamental trim ring for vehicle wheels



May 13, 1947.

G. A. LYON & I

s! a w 3 2 2 28 ZZ'TVEZ 12:72

650cm? flzeaer 11/0.

Patented May 13, 1947 ORNAMENTAL TRIM RING FOR VEHICLE WHEELS GeorgeAlbert Lyon, Allenhurst, J.

Application April 10, 1944, Serial'No. 530,356

3 Claims.

1 This invention relates to a wheel structure and more particularly to awheel trim therefor wherein novel means is provided for retaining thetrim on the wheel without necessitating any change.

in the wheel structure.

An object of this invention is to provide a simplified form of wheelstructure which will facilitate the use of the wheel in the normal wayand yet which will afford a highly ornamental appearance for the wheel.

Another object of this invention is to utilize the conventional wheelopenings in a Wheel for facilitating the retention of a wheel trim onthe wheel.

In accordance withvthe general ieatures of this invention there isprovided a wheel trim in the form of an annulus of convex-concavecrosssectional contour which covers all of the exposed side flanges ofthe wheel and has provided, as a component thereof, retaining meansco-operating with the parts of the wheel defining the wheel openings forthe'retention of the same.

Another feature of the invention relatesto the provision of novelretaining means for plastic a wheel trim or cover which will permit ofsnap-on retention of the wheel trim on the wheel.

Still another feature of the invention relates to a novel and simple wayof forming the wheelmeans co-operate with the wheel parts in theopenings of the wheel;

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary crosssectional view corresponding toa portion of Figure 2 other than a section taken through therim at thevalve stem but showing clearly how the retaining fingers engage thewheel body in the openings of the wheels; and

Figure 4 is a fragmentary diagrammatic sectional view showing how mynovel wheel trim may be fabricated from plastic stock with a minimum ofwaste.

As shown in the drawings:

The reference character 9 designates generally a conventional type ofpneumatic tire co-operable 2 in the usual way with the conventionalso-called drop-center type of metal tire rim designated by the referencecharacter Ill.

The tire riml0, as is well known in the art, is suitably attached, as bymeans of welding, riveting or otherwise, to a metallic stampingcomprising a wheel body which in this-instance is designated by thereference character II. This wheel body, at the intermediate intervalswhere it is not attached to the base flange oi the rim,

is provided with wheel openings l2, which, as is I well known in theart, afford ventilation for the brake drum of the wheel.

The wheel body part II is of a shell-like configuration and has acentrally depressed flange l3 which is adapted to be secured by capscrews, bolts or the like (not shown) to a support on a vehicle such ason an axle of a wheel. This flange may be bolted to a brake drum or thelike and in fact any suitable means may be provided for attaching it tothe wheel.

Co-operating with the centrally depressed section of the wheel body partII is a metallic hub cap designated generally by the reference characterI4 and which includes as a component thereof an under turned skirt whichhas a continuous resiliently expansible and contractible edge l8 adaptedto be snapped over a plurality of retaining bumps ll formed on the wheelbody part II.

The hub cap l4 and the means for retaining it on the wheel are now wellknown in the art.

This metal hub cap by reason of its resilient flexible continuous edgeI6 is adapted to be axially snapped or cammed into retaining engagementwith the bumps I! which are arranged in a common circle and may be ofany suitable number such, for example, as 3 or 4. In other words thespringy edge I6 is pressed over and behind the bumps l1 so as todetachably hold the hub cap on the wheel. This hub cap may be easilyremoved irom the wheel by prying it off through the instrumentality of asuitable tool such as a screwdriver. Any suitable ornamentation may begiven the hub cap such, for example, as a lustrous external finish orthe like.

My invention is particularly concerned with the provision of a circulartrim 20 for concealing the exposed outer side surfaces of the flanges ofthe tire rim [0 and for ornamenting the wheel by providing a novelcooperation between the same and the tire 9 on the-rim.

Thistrim ring 20 is in accordance with the features of this inventionmade of relatively'thin resiliently flexible plastic sheet such, forexample,

. V 3 f as ethyl cellulose. It may be fabricated in the manner to bedescribed hereinafter in connection with Figure 4.

The trim is in the form of an annulus and is of a channeledconfiguration so that it presents a concave-convex contour. The radialdepth of this ring together with its curvature are such as to cause thering to appear to be a continuation of the side wall of the tire. Thiseffect is also augmented by having the outer edge of the ring terminateadjacent the side wall of the tire. As shown at 2|, the outer edge isoffset rearw ardly so as to overhang to a slight extent the ,outer edgeof the tire rim ll.

I have found that by giving thistrim ring a suitable external flnishsuch, for example, was white or eggshell it is caused to appear to be awhite side wall portion of the tire. In other words, it causes the tireto have a more massive appearance since the tire appears to extend cleardown to the body part Ii.

The inner periphery of the annular trim 2| is provided with a pluralityof axially extending spaced projections 22 which may be in the samenumber as that of the wheel openings i 2. As shown in Figure 4, thereare four wheel openings and four projections 22 can be accommodatedthereby, one for each wheel opening. These projections are formedintegral with the body of the trim and may be fabricated for example inthe manner to be described in connection with Figthe under-surface ofthe projections 22 as'by means of a rivet 25 or the like. The leg 20 'isturned back over the leg 24 and has its free extremity provided with ahump 21 adapted to be cammed over an inner edge 28 of the wheel bodywhich cooperates in defining the associated wheel opening i2.

The arrangement of the clips are such that the trim may be easilyapplied to. the wheel by first aligning it with the wheel and with theprojections in register with the respective wheel openings i2 and bythereafter pressing it axially so that the clips 23 are caused to enterthe wheelopenings and to be cammed over the rear edge 28 into retainingcooperation therewith as best shown in Figure-3.

The centering of the trim on the wheel may be facilitated by providingan opening 29 (Figure 2) in the trim through which the valve stems ofthe tire or tube is adapted to extend. Thus, by first lining up the trimwith the valve stem it is possible to thereby likewise line uptheprojections 22 with the wheel openings l2.

In the retention of the trim on the wheel the flexibility of the plasticmaterial of the projections 22 permits these projections to flex as theclips are pushed through the wheel openings i2 into retainingcooperation with the parts of the wheel. Thus, the projections" aretightly urged outwardly against the base flange of the tire rim or inother words the clips 23 are wedged between the wheel body part and theprojections 22 which are held against the base flange of the rim.

some The trim It may be removed by manuallygripping the outer edge 2!and pulling on the trim ring until the clips are forcibly pulled backthrough the openings i2.' The flexible characteristics of the trim 2.permits of its being flexed without being permanently distorted.Moreover, should in the use of the trim the same become slightlyindented by reason of being struck against a curb or by pebbles strikingthe same, the trim will spring back to its original contour. This ishighly desirable since it enables the trim to always present a pleasingappearance and also serves to prolong the'useful life of thetrim.

I In Figure 4 I have illustrated how two trim sections 20-20 can befabricated from a single channeled piece of stock ll. This channeledmember SI is made from continuous section of plastics which may befabricated on any suitable equipment and then cut into predeterminedlengths. Each length then has its ends joined on a transverse line, suchas the line 2|, so as to form a continuous annulus. Thereafter theannulus is cut on a medial plane so as to form two trim rings 202l eachhaving oppositely facing projections 22 all of which are cut from theintermediate portion of the common channeled section 30. By fabricatingthe trim rings in this manner it is possible to make them veryeconomically since waste is reduced to a minimum. Thereafter clips 23are fastened to the projections 22.

It wll1,,of course be understood that various de- I tails ofconstruction may be varied through a wide range without departing fromthe principles of this invention and it is, therefore, not the purposeto limit the patent granted hereon otherwise than necessitated by thescope of the appended claims. 1

flanged rim radially inwardl to the wheel openlugs and covers theexposed surfaces of the rim flanges, said trim being made of plasticmaterial which is self-sustaining as to shape and having an innermarginal portion thereof provided with resilient flngers formed to beresiliently pressed into said wheel openings to cooperate with the wheelparts in retaining the trim on the wheel,

' each of said flngers comprising a metal clip with 'one leg fastened tosaid inner margin of the trim and with another leg turned back over saidfirst leg and free for resilient wedging engagement with one of thewheel parts, each free leg having a hump adjacent its extremity arrangedto be cammed over and behind an edge of one of said wheel parts.

2. As an article of manufacture, an annular wheel trim of channeledcross-sectional shape with a serrated inner edge for telescoping com)-eration with spaced openings in a wheel, spaced portions of said edgecarrying resilient metal clips for snap-on trim-retaining engagementwith the wheel.

3. In a wheel structure including a wheel having multi-flanged tire rimand body parts with spaced wheel openings therebetween, an annular wheeltrim of curved cross-sectional contour such that the trim extends fromthe outer edge of the flanged rim radially inwardly to the wheel openmasand substantially covers the exposed surfaces of the rim flanges, saidtrim having an in- 5 ner margin thereof provided with circumferentiallyspaced portions formed to be pressed into the wheel openings tocooperate with the wheel parts in retaining the trim on the wheel, each01 said portions including one leg fastened to said inner margin of thetrim and another leg turned back over said first leg and free forretaining engagement with one of the wheel parts, each free leg having aportion adjacent its extremity arw ranged to be cammed over and behindan edge of one of said wheel parts.

GEORGE ALBERT LYON.

REFERENCES CITED' The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

